Tombstones

The Marble Tombstones

The inlaid marble tombstones that cover the floor is a unique feature of St John’s church. The entire floor of the nave, chapels and the oratory are covered with tombstones. They commemorate some of the most illustrious knights of the Order. Several of them were members of powerful aristocratic families of Europe. They ranked from grand priors, admirals and balliffs amongst others, and were often referred to as Most Illustrious Lord Brother Illustrissimus Dominus Frater.
The Latin epitaphs describe the virtues of the individual knight. Each tombstone is charged with messages of triumph, fame, victory and death. Symbols, both ecclesiastical and profane are used in a vibrant visual language of colour and design. One of the most popular symbols is the image of death represented as a skeleton, often with a sickle and an hourglass signifying the passage of time. Another popular symbol is the angel of fame often represented blowing a trumpet to mark the deceased’s honourable reputation. Crowns and coronets indicate the most noble of the knights. The symbols are accompanied by armorial shields and weapons ranging from battle flags to halberds, helmets and cuirasses. All the tombstones were made following original designs and composed of coloured inlaid marble. They date from the early seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century.

This full list of all our tombs is ideal for researchers or to cross reference the names and references. If you require additional detail about any of these please let us know.